Seward’s Gasparini Freshman of the Year

espite a disappointing loss early in the Region VI Championship Tournament on Sunday, there was some good news to come out of Lady Saints camp on Monday as three Seward players were named All-Jayhawk West and All-Region VI as announced by the league.

Carolina Gasparini led the trio on the All-Conference lists as she was selected to the 1st Team as well as being named the Jayhawk West Freshman of the year. Gasparini led Seward in both kills and aces in her first year in green and white, and also ranked in the top three in digs and hitting percentage. Her 430 kills ranked 3rd in the Jayhawk West and 23rd Nationally this season. Her 54 aces were tops in the conference and 14th in the country. She is the first Seward player to be named Freshman of the Year since Sheina Fernandes earned the honor in 2009 and is just the fourth freshman to be named 1st Team All-Jayhawk West in the past 10 seasons.

Sophomore outside hitter Annelise Sanchez was named All-Jayhawk West 2nd Team this season after earning an Honorable Mention nod as a freshman in 2012. Sanchez was second on the team in kills this season with 373 and finished fourth on the team with 273 digs. She ranked a solid 5th in the Jayhawk West in kills this season and also ranked in the top 10 in the league in hitting percentage and kills per set during her sophomore season. She is one of just 10 players in the past 10 seasons to earn All-Conference honors in both of her seasons at Seward County.

Morgan Riley was one of just three players named to the Honorable Mention All-Conference team. Riley led Seward in both hitting percentage and blocks during her sophomore season. Riley chalked up 162 blocks this season, 61 more than the next closest player in the Jayhawk West and 5th most in the NJCAA in 2013. Her .234 hitting percentage ranked 5th in the Jayhawk West and 2nd among middle hitters. Riley finishes her Seward County career with 289 career blocks which puts her tied for 6th on the school’s all-time blocks list.

Hutchinson’s Teresa Wade took home the Player of the Year award for the second straight season while Blue Dragons Coach Patrick Hall shared the Coach of the Year award with Colby’s Carey Jones.

Roy Allen